Voice-operated mobile communication units are known in the art. These units are capable of managing several communication functions in a “hands-free” manner. The user issues a first voice command corresponding to a first communication function (e.g. “Power on”) and may then issue another voice command corresponding to a different communication function (e.g. “Answer call”).
In certain traffic situations, however, it is desirable to provide an alternative to voice operation for managing communication functions. One such traffic situation is an area of high background noise (for example, a tunnel). Such an alternative would be mostly hands-free but could operate even when voice operation is compromised. Such an alternative method would also be capable of being used interchangeably with a voice-operated system depending on the noise environment. In some instances, this alternative method could be available when the mobile vehicle is stationary and the voice-operated hands-free method when the vehicle is moving.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system and method for managing multiple communication functions in a mobile vehicle communication system using a single button. It would further be desirable to have a system and method for operating a mobile vehicle communication unit that is subscribed to a mobile vehicle communication network. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide alternative systems and methods for managing multiple communication functions to those described above.